Manning Municipal Utilities (MMU) is looking to partner with the IKM-Manning School District to provide work-based learning to high school students and provide opportunities for students to explore other options besides attending four-year universities. This partnership between the district, Des Moines Area Community College, and other surrounding local businesses will serve as an educational tool, providing real-life experiences outside of a traditional classroom setting. Jeremey Carroll, General Manager for MMU, says juniors and seniors, under Pete Croughan’s (Cron) direction, will construct a new house.
Students will also get to observe the behind-the-scenes work, like applying for a permit, how much to charge for your work, and more of the economics behind the construction, aside from the actual building of the house itself. This will all be part of the district’s Industrial Tech program. Carroll says another phase of this project is updating the industrial tech shop at the IKM-Manning School to better serve as a training facility.
The updates to the shop at the IKM-Manning School will be a community effort, with local businesses generously donating their time and materials, with no cost associated to the district. This not only enhances the learning environment but also serves as a recruitment tool, exposing students to potential career opportunities. Carroll envisions this partnership as a catalyst for building stronger community and school relationships and expanding work-based learning opportunities for students in the district.
Already, students are eagerly signing up for this program, excited about the real-life experiences they will gain with the IKM-Manning School District. Carroll, after successfully implementing the program at IKM-Manning for the first year, is open to discussions with other districts interested in starting a similar program or allowing their students to join this one. For any questions, please feel free to contact Carroll at MMU by calling 712-655-3905.
